Developing Youth-informed and Quality-aware Spatial Accessibility Measures to Urban Parks Using a Survey-based 2SFCA Method in London, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia
Abstract
Park-related research has gained much attention in recent years, yet not enough studies have focused on the inequity of park accessibility and quality. These are crucial elements that influence youth’s park use, which in turn influence their physical, mental, and social development. Existing literature uses park size as the supply level to examine park accessibility but fails to consider any other park characteristics (e.g., amenities, general condition). This research developed youth-informed and quality-aware measures to consider the influence on park attraction by its quality and size rather than size only. This was implemented by consulting a youth advisory council to determine the relative importance of park features and the travel threshold used in the analysis to better understand park attractiveness for youth. Then, an accessibility score for each population unit is computed to represent the level of park accessibility, using the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method. The proposed method can better differentiate higher accessibility from lower accessibility, providing more detailed accessibility results. The social equity analysis results indicated that median household income was not strongly correlated with the level of park accessibility. The research outcomes bring critical insights for park planners to improve park and recreational facilities in the city and promote healthy living among youth.